By Lance Morehouse / For The Herald
An inclusive workforce has many benefits for employers. Positive reputation, increased creativity, different perspectives, and better decision making are a few that come to mind.
How do we define an inclusive workplace? A workforce that includes people with varying gender, age, race, backgrounds, education and abilities.
Many companies and organizations are intentionally striving to achieve an inclusive workforce. There is data to suggest that businesses with an inclusive staffs actually have a competitive advantage, outperform other businesses and achieve greater profits.
In a recent article in The Herald, Valence Surface Technologies shared that they have hired 20 people with different abilities over the past year and a half (“On this noisy factory floor, deaf workers fit right in,” The Herald, Sept. 3). Ten of those workers are deaf yet work in a variety of jobs throughout their plant. They have found that other workers are learning American Sign Language, and it is an advantage for all staff to communicate across a shop floor with a noisy work environment.
Restaurant owner Shawn O’Donnell recently spoke about a worker he hired five years ago with Down syndrome. He recalled the day he was asked to consider hiring Sam and admits he was a little reluctant. But after five years of employment, O’Donnell realizes the benefits of Sam’s dependability, hard work and the positive comments he gets from customers.
These are just two examples of businesses that have utilized supported employment as a way to meet their needs and build a more inclusive workforce.
While people with disabilities live and work in our communities every day, this is a time where we can highlight the fact that there is a pool of qualified staff just waiting for the opportunity to show employers their skills and dedication.
Sherwood Community Services was established as an organization 62 years ago and provides services to children and adults with disabilities throughout Snohomish County. Instead of focusing on people’s disabilities, we believe in people’s abilities and our ultimate goal is that the people we serve are contributing members of our communities.
Our employment specialists work with businesses to meet their staffing needs at no cost to them. We strive for a good match between the needs of an employer and an individual’s skills, strengths and talents. Many of the employers we have worked with over the years who shared concerns in the beginning, now embrace their decision and the dedicated employee they have.
In this era of record low unemployment, businesses are struggling to find qualified employees to meet their needs. The pool of qualified candidates is smaller, forcing employers to be innovative in recruiting employees.
Are you looking for that next dependable, long-term employee in your business or organization? Consider supported employment and join us in believing in people’s abilities.
Lance Morehouse is chief executive of Sherwood Community Services.
Help with hiring
For a list of supported employment agencies in Snohomish County that can assist with hiring needs, go to tinyurl.com/SCDDCareerPath.
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